Short Summary

VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT FORCES DEFEATED COMMUNIST VIETCONG INSURGENTS ON NOVEMBER 3 -- EVE OF THE FORMATION OF A CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT -- IN TWO BATTLES, BOTH IN THE SOUTHERN MEKONG RIVER DELTA, SOUTH OF SAIGON.

Description

1.
MLS TROOPS (PAN) DEAD BODIES OF VIETCONG ON PADDY FIELD
4 1/2 ft

2.
MCU VIETNAMESE OFFICER TALKS TO AMERICAN ADVISERS
8 ft

3.
LS (PAN) BODIES OF VIETCONG
13 1/2 ft

4.
MS TROOPS
16 ft

5.
LS (PAN) DEAD BODIES
19 1/2 ft

6.
CU SOLDIERS
21 ft

7.
LS DEAD BODIES (PAN) RUINED ATTAP HUT
27 ft

8.
LS TROOPS LOOKING AT DEAD BODIES
33 ft

Initials CAR/S/MK/YA/RBI

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT FORCES DEFEATED COMMUNIST VIETCONG INSURGENTS ON NOVEMBER 3 -- EVE OF THE FORMATION OF A CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT -- IN TWO BATTLES, BOTH IN THE SOUTHERN MEKONG RIVER DELTA, SOUTH OF SAIGON.

THE FIRST BATTLE WAS IN AN XUYEN PROVINCE, ABOUT 155 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SAIGON WHERE A GOVERNMENT UNIT INFLICTED HEAVY CASUALTIES ON AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF VIETCONG WHO WERE ATTACKING AN OUTPOST. THE BATTLE TOOK PLACE ON A PADDY FIELD AND BODIES OF KILLED VIETCONG WERE STREWN ALL OVER THE FIELD. GOVERNMENT FORCES LOST ONE KILLED AND 16 WOUNDED.

AN XUYEN HAS LONG BEEN A VIETCONG STRONGHOLD.

THE SECOND ACTION TOOK PLACE 15 MILES SOUTH OF SAIGON, WHEN VIETCONG ATTACKED A VIETNAMESE BATTALION WITH MORTAR AND RIFLE FIRE.

FROM BOTH THE BATTLE SCENES, GOVERNMENT FORCES RECOVERED SEVERAL WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION LEFT BEHIND BY THE FLEEING VIETCONG.